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charcis, the first planting of which was begun in 1903. 

 Much fall planting was used and very little winter kill re- 

 sulted. For this gravelly soil ideal distance was found to 

 be 20x20 with permanent trees to 'be 40x40. Seven and 

 eight year filler trees were bearing full crops and needed 

 thinning. Numerous varieties were planted. Desiring 

 early bearing, little pruning was practiced except at plant- 

 ing and trees were headed low. A peculiarity of the loca- 

 tion being so near the sea caused sooty fungus and allied 

 species and lack of color as a sea turn would come in at 3 

 or 4 P. ]M. and last till sunrise or 11 A. M. 



Secretary Wilfred Wheeler of the State Board of Agri- 

 culture advocated these outdoor meetings right in the midst 

 of things which are being accomplished and said that what 

 we saw proved that the wild Massachusetts land can grow 

 fine fruit. Mr. Richard Tlittinger of Belmont, speaking on 

 the pear outlook, said that the California pears knocked out 

 the market for local groAvn Bartletts but that the Bosc has 

 a place. 



The meml)ers were then divided into groups under a 

 competent guide and we saw Avhat Mr. Smith had been tell- 

 ing us about. We tramped up hill and down dale, over 

 rivers and through orchards galore and what we did not see 

 was not worth seeing. Everybody had a mighty fine time 

 and much praise was bestowed upon Mr. Rice and Supt. 

 Sprague for tlie cordial hospitality everywhere in evidence. 



BELMONT 

 Early Saturday morning. August 23, 1913 the Secretary 

 was called up on the phone and asked if the weather would 

 postpone the pear field meeting set for that day with Direc- 

 tor Richard Hittinger. We all took a chance and when the 

 weather saw it could not keep us back it behaved itself and 

 Ave won out. ^Ir. Hittinger met us with his jovial smile and 

 showed us around. We had a practical demonstration of 

 intensive fruit culture for, besides range after range of 

 greenhouses the Tlittinger Fruit Co. has apples, pears, 

 peaches, currants, gooseberries and other fruit with every 

 foot of space utilized and all showing the expert's care. 

 ]\rany of us made our first acquaintance with the leopard 

 moth as it is plonty in this section. A great many practical 



